Titan LX vs Zeagle DS-V Vs Hogarthian set

[Arsole]

ok, fanboyism aside i seek the best regs in my under $500 price range for myself and my son...
thanks to the Aqua Lung free Octo promotion i can get a Titan LX with octo for $449.
Scuba.com is having an open box clearance which has a Zeagle ZX DS-V set for $362.
Then there is HOG, who through dive gear express can be purchased with D1 first, two "classic" secondaries, adapters etc for $299.

My overly analytical self is about to explode... all of the above options more than meet our needs and i am certain that all will be fine for years to come. We are only diving OW, AWO and caverns with no desire for anything beyond... 100 ft deepest so far with no desire (as of yet) for anything more complicated...

We have dove with the Zeagles with no complaints and made in the US is a bonus. With good local support here in FL for service.
The Aqua Lung Titan LX seem to be about as rock solid as regs can possibly be. Support everywhere, free parts etc as long as you play their game of scheduled service\inspection.
But damn, the HOGs seem well respected, and at this price point hard to beat. My biggest concern is service, no interest in maintaining the regs ourselves beyond proper care...

So, sans BS, i would love to get critical feedback on these 3 options.

thanks

 

[GCullen94]

Another solid option that will have a free octo is the Apeks XTX50 (Apeks is under common ownership with aqualung) It's about 35 over your budget but a rock solid regulator. Another solid option is the HOG regulator. I am not familiar with the Zeagles so I will not comment on them. However...

Apeks regulators are very well built, it is an environmentally sealed diaphragm regulator. They are very popular among technical divers and are a solid, workhorse regulator. I dive XTX50's and have used an XTX40, they are my personal regulator of choice.

HOG regulators are a copy of the Apeks design and again they are very well built. The classic second stage is a solid bit of metal so that may be a consideration if travel weight is an issue. I however prefer a metal 2nd stage. Again HOG regulators are not flashy workhorse regs. They are a close 2nd in preference personally.

If you get to doubles both first stages have 5th ports (Hog standard, Apeks 20 dollars extra and can be installed after purchase whenever by your LDS)

 

[TSandM]

Just one small point . . . HOG is the brand name of a regulator; Hogarthian refers to a certain type of minimalist gear setup. Although Hogarthian is often abbreviated as Hog, it's not related to the brand name.

 

[Centrals]

We have dove with the Zeagles with no complaints and made in the US is a bonus. With good local support here in FL for service.

You already had the answer!
After-sell service is the most important consideration.

 

[ams511]

I picked up a pair of Hog switchback regulators from Diver's Supply for around $65 each. I have not had a chance to dive them yet but the build quality is similar to the Apeks ATX-50s I have. As far as service goes, there are a several mail order places that will service them at a reasonable cost if you cannot find a local shop in Tampa. Diver's Supply is a dealer but I am not sure if the store is closing or not, I keep getting liquidation flyers. The owner of Hog is very active on SB and you can email him with questions and such. Also Jim Lapenta is an independent dealer and very active on the board.

Personally, I would not buy a new Aqualung regulator because I do not like their business policies. I would go with Zeagle, Hog, Dive Rite (also based in Florida), or Subgear.